Eco-Friendly Packaging Choices: Recyclable, Compostable and Kraft
Updated · Vorex Packaging
The most practical eco-friendly packaging choices are right-sized boxes, paper-based materials that are widely recyclable such as corrugated and paperboard, less plastic in finishes and fill, and compostable options where composting is available. Any green claim you print should be specific and supported; in the US check the FTC Green Guides, and in Canada check Competition Bureau guidance.
Step by step
Right-size the packaging
Use boxes made to your product's size to reduce material, void fill and shipping volume.
Choose widely recycled materials
Prefer corrugated, paperboard and paper, which are commonly accepted in curbside programs in the USA and Canada.
Reduce mixed materials
Limit plastic laminates, windows, foam and magnets that can make recycling harder, or make them easy to separate.
Consider compostable options carefully
Use compostable packaging where your customers can access suitable composting, and label it clearly.
Make accurate, qualified claims
Print only claims you can support, and check current FTC and Competition Bureau guidance before printing.
Start with less packaging
The simplest way to reduce packaging impact is to use less of it. Boxes made to your exact size need less board and less void fill, and they take up less space in trucks. Avoiding extra layers, such as a box inside a box when one would do, also helps.
Recyclable materials
Paper-based packaging is widely accepted in curbside recycling programs across the USA and Canada.
- Corrugated board: mailers and shipping boxes.
- Paperboard: folding cartons, sleeves and inserts.
- Paper: bags, tissue, wrapping and labels.
What you add to these materials matters. Plastic film laminates, large plastic windows, foam inserts and magnets can make a box harder to recycle or require customers to separate parts. Aqueous coatings, paper inserts and plain kraft are generally easier for paper recycling. Local programs differ, so check what is accepted where your customers live.
Compostable packaging
Compostable packaging is designed to break down into compost under specific conditions. There are two main types:
- Industrial (commercial) compostable: needs the heat and conditions of a commercial composting facility.
- Home compostable: designed to break down in a home compost pile, which is slower and less controlled.
Compostable mailers can be a good choice when your customers have access to the right composting. Where they do not, the item may end up in landfill. Compostable plastics should not go in recycling bins, where they can contaminate the stream. Clear instructions on the package help customers dispose of it correctly.
Kraft and natural looks
Kraft board and paper are unbleached and have a natural brown look many shoppers associate with sustainability. Kraft is generally recyclable, but the color alone does not make a package environmentally better than white board. Avoid designs that imply benefits you cannot support.
Making green claims in the USA
The Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides explain how marketers should make environmental claims so they are not misleading. Key principles include:
- Avoid broad claims such as eco-friendly or green unless they are clearly qualified with specific benefits.
- Qualify recyclable claims when recycling facilities are not available to a substantial majority of the people where the product is sold.
- Qualify compostable claims, for example where only industrial composting is suitable or facilities are limited.
- Make clear whether a claim refers to the product, the package or part of the package.
Some states have their own rules, including restrictions on recyclable claims and recycling symbols, and the Green Guides themselves have been under review. Check current federal and state rules before printing claims.
Making green claims in Canada
In Canada, the Competition Bureau enforces the Competition Act, which prohibits false or misleading representations, including environmental claims. The Act was amended in 2024 with provisions addressing environmental claims, and the Bureau has published guidance on how it interprets them. Claims should be specific, accurate and supported by appropriate evidence. Several provinces also run extended producer responsibility programs for packaging that may apply to brands selling into them. Check current guidance before printing claims or entering a new province.
A practical checklist
- Choose a right-sized paper-based box where possible.
- Use paper or molded fiber inserts instead of foam when they protect well enough.
- Limit plastic laminates and windows, or make them easy to remove.
- Print disposal instructions, such as recycle the box, where accurate.
- Keep evidence for any environmental claim you make.
Vorex can quote kraft and other paper-based boxes made to your exact size, and a specialist can talk through lower-impact material options for your product.
